U.S. patent application number 11/227132 was filed with the patent office on 2006-04-13 for scanner and distribution mechanism thereof.
This patent application is currently assigned to BENQ CORPORATION. Invention is credited to Chih-Wei Lu.
Application Number | 20060077499 11/227132 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 36144938 |
Filed Date | 2006-04-13 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060077499 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Lu; Chih-Wei |
April 13, 2006 |
Scanner and distribution mechanism thereof
Abstract
A scanner and a distribution mechanism thereof. A rocker arm is
pivoted on a frame to swing up to an upper dead point or down to a
lower dead point. A first gear is pivoted on the first shaft, and a
second gear is pivoted on the second gear, engaging the first gear.
A friction element (a woolpad wheel) is pivoted on the rocker arm
and abuts the second gear and the rocker arm. When the first gear
rotates the second gear, the second gear rotates the rocker arm
upward or downward selectively via the friction element, and when
the rocker arm swings up to the upper dead point or down to the
lower dead point, the second gear maintains rotation of the
friction element with respect to the rocker arm.
Inventors: |
Lu; Chih-Wei; (Taipei
County, TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BIRCH STEWART KOLASCH & BIRCH
PO BOX 747
FALLS CHURCH
VA
22040-0747
US
|
Assignee: |
BENQ CORPORATION
|
Family ID: |
36144938 |
Appl. No.: |
11/227132 |
Filed: |
September 16, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
359/197.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04N 1/00594 20130101;
G03B 1/32 20130101; H04N 1/00567 20130101; H04N 1/00631 20130101;
H04N 2201/0408 20130101; H04N 1/0061 20130101; H04N 1/0062
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
359/197 |
International
Class: |
G02B 26/08 20060101
G02B026/08 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Sep 16, 2004 |
TW |
93127988 |
Claims
1. A distribution mechanism for a scanned object, comprising: a
frame; a rocker arm pivoted on the frame to swing between an upper
dead point and a lower dead point; a first gear pivoted on the
frame; a second gear pivoted on the rocker arm and engaging the
first gear; and a friction element pivoted on the rocker arm and
abutting the second gear and the rocker arm, wherein when the first
gear rotates the second gear, the second gear rotates the rocker
arm upward or downward selectively via the friction element, and
when the rocker arm swings up to the upper dead point or down to
the lower dead point, the second gear maintains rotation of the
friction element with respect to the rocker arm.
2. The distribution mechanism as claimed in claim 1 further
comprising a spring between the second gear and the friction
element to make the friction element tightly abut the second gear
and the rocker arm.
3. The distribution mechanism as claimed in claim 1 further
comprising a trail, joining the rocker arm and swinging with the
rocker arm.
4. The distribution mechanism as claimed in claim 1 further
comprising a motor disposed on the frame to drive the first
gear.
5. The distribution mechanism as claimed in claim 4 further
comprising a plurality of engaged gears pivoted on the frame and
joined with the motor and the first gear whereby the engaged gears
are driven by the motor to rotate the first gear.
6. The distribution mechanism as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
friction element is a woolpad wheel.
7. The distribution mechanism as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
rocker arm further comprises a shaft extending through centers of
the friction element and the second gear.
8. A scanner, comprising: a frame; a rocker arm pivoted on the
frame and swinging up to an upper dead point or down to a lower
dead point; a first gear pivoted on the frame; a second gear
pivoted on the rocker arm and engaging the first gear; and a
friction element pivoted on the rocker arm and abutting the second
gear and the rocker arm; and a trail bearing the scanned object,
joining the rocker arm and capable of swinging with the rocker arm,
wherein when the first gear rotates the second gear, the second
gear rotates the rocker arm upward or downward selectively via the
friction element, and when the rocker arm swings up to the upper
dead point or down to the lower dead point, the second gear
maintains rotation of the friction element with respect to the
rocker arm.
9. The scanner as claimed in claim 8 further comprising a spring
between the second gear and the friction element to make the
friction element tightly abut the second gear and the rocker
arm.
10. The scanner as claimed in claim 8 further comprising a motor
disposed on the frame to drive the first gear.
11. The scanner as claimed in claim 8 further comprising a
plurality of gears pivoted on the frame and joined with the motor
and the first gear whereby the engaged gears are driven by the
motor to rotate the first gear.
12. The scanner as claimed in claim 8 further comprising a feed
cartridge disposed at the upper dead point capable of linking the
trail and an ejection cartridge disposed at the lower dead point
capable of linking the trail.
13. The scanner as claimed in claim 8, wherein the friction element
is a woolpad wheel.
14. The scanner as claimed in claim 8, wherein the rocker arm
further comprises a shaft extending through centers of the friction
element and the second gear.
15. The scanner as claimed in claim 8 further comprising a scan
module, wherein when the rocker arm rotates up to the upper dead
point, the scanned object is sent to the scan module, and when the
rocker arm rotates down to the lower point, the scanned object is
removed from the scan module.
Description
BACKGROUND
[0001] The invention relates to a distribution mechanism for
scanned objects in a scanner, and in particular to a distribution
mechanism with a friction element, wherein when a trail loading a
scanned object swings to an upper or a lower dead point, force
driving the trail can be released therefrom via the friction
element.
[0002] There are currently two main types of film scanners on the
market. One is provided with a film cartridge. When a scan
procedure is performed, a film is placed in the film cartridge and
the film cartridge is pushed into the film scanner. The other is
provided with a feed opening. When a scan procedure is performed, a
film is manually inserted into the opening. The structure of the
film scanner with feed opening is shown in FIG. 1. A film F is
inserted into a feed opening (not shown) of a film scanner 100 and
enters a scan module 30 via a trail 10 and a track 20. A draw
mechanism (not shown) disposed in the scan module 30 is driven by a
motor 50 and a plurality of engaged gears 60 (for simplicity, gears
are illustrated as wheels in each figure) on a frame 40 to draw the
film F into the scan module 30. When the film scan is complete, the
motor 50 reverses and ejects the film F via the feed opening.
[0003] If only one film is scanned, the described structure can
easily accomplish the film scanning process. If several films are
intended to be scanned and fed into the scanner at the same time,
the ejected films which are already scanned may be mixed with the
films about to be fed. This causes repeated scans. To avoid this,
the films must be manually fed one by one to prevent repeated
scans, which is inconvenient and time consuming.
SUMMARY
[0004] A distribution mechanism for a scanned object according to
an embodiment of the invention comprises a frame, a rocker arm
pivoted on the frame and capable of swinging up to an upper dead
point or down to a lower dead point, a first gear is pivoted on the
frame, a second gear pivoted on the rocker arm and engages the
first gear, and a friction element is pivoted on the rocker arm
abutting the second gear and the rocker arm, wherein when the first
gear rotates the second gear, the second gear rotates the rocker
arm upward or downward selectively via the friction element, and
when the rocker arm swings up to the upper dead point or down to
the lower dead point, the second gear maintains rotation of the
friction element with respect to the rocker arm.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0005] The invention can be more fully understood by reading the
subsequent detailed description and examples with references made
to the accompanying drawings, wherein:
[0006] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional scanner;
[0007] FIG. 2a is a perspective view of a scanner according to an
embodiment of the invention showing a film being fed;
[0008] FIG. 2b is a perspective view of a scanner according to an
embodiment of the invention showing a film is ejected;
[0009] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a distribution mechanism of
a scanner according to an embodiment of the invention;
[0010] FIG. 4 is a schematic view of a distribution mechanism
according to an embodiment of the invention showing a rocker arm
swinging up;
[0011] FIG. 5 is a schematic view of a distribution mechanism
according to an embodiment of the invention showing a rocker arm
swinging down; and
[0012] FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of a distribution
mechanism of a scanner according to an embodiment of the
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0013] Referring to FIGS. 2a and 2b, a scanner 200 is provided with
a feed cartridge 1000 and an ejection cartridge 3000. A film F
placed in the feed cartridge 1000 is conveyed into a scan module
130 via a trail 110 and a track 120. A draw mechanism (not shown)
within the scan module 130 is driven by a motor 150 and a plurality
of engaged gears 160 on a frame 140 to draw the film F into the
scan module 130. When the scan is completed, the film F is ejected
out of the scan module 130 by the draw mechanism. At the same time,
the trail 110 driven by the motor 150 and a plurality of engaged
gears 170 swings down to link with the ejection cartridge 3000. The
scanned film F is conveyed to the ejection cartridge 3000 via the
track 120 and the trail 110. The motor 150 reverses to swing the
trail 110 up so as to link the feed cartridge 1000, and the next
film is fed thereto. Thus, a scanning procedure for multiple films
is accomplished by repeated feeding and ejection. The structure of
a distribution mechanism driving the trail 110 swinging up and down
is described in the followings.
[0014] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the distribution mechanism
of the embodiment. In FIG. 3, power from a motor shaft 151 is
transmitted in two directions via two groups of gears 160 and 170
respectively. A motor 150 drives a convey belt 191 of the draw
mechanism 190 within the scan module 130 via gears 160. The motion
of the conveyor belt 191 draws film in or ejects film from the scan
module 130. Power from the motor 150 is transmitted to a first gear
173 pivoted on a first shaft 101 on the frame 140 via gears 170. A
rocker arm 177 is pivoted on the first shaft 101 and positioned
between the first gear 173 and the frame 140. The rocker arm 177
has a second shaft 103 on which a second gear 175 is pivoted. The
second gear 175 abuts the rocker arm 177 so tightly that the second
gear 175 drives the rocker arm 177 swinging around the first shaft
101 up and down when the second gear 175 is rotated by the first
gear 173. The rocker arm 177 swings up to an upper dead point or
down to a lower dead point, whereby the trail 110 joining the
rocker arm 177 swings up to link the feed cartridge 1000 or down to
link the ejection cartridge 3000.
[0015] FIGS. 4 and 5 show the rocker arm 177 swinging up and down
respectively. For the sake of clarity, the gears 160 and the draw
mechanism 190 are omitted. In FIG. 4, motor shaft 151 rotates
clockwise to rotate the first gear 173 counterclockwise via the
gears 170 so as to rotate the second gear 175 clockwise and swing
the rocker arm 177 up. In FIG. 5, motor shaft 151 rotates
counterclockwise to rotate the first gear 173 clockwise via the
gears 170 so as to rotate the second gear 175 counterclockwise and
swing the rocker arm 177 down.
[0016] FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of the distribution
mechanism. In FIG. 6, a friction element, such as a woolpad wheel
176, is disposed between the second gear 175 and the rocker arm
177, and a spring 178 is disposed between the woolpad wheel 176 and
the second gear 175. A fastener 7 joins the second gear 175, the
woolpad wheel 176 and the spring 178 on the second shaft 103 and
makes them abut the rocker arm 177 tightly. When the second gear
175 is rotated by the first gear 173, as the friction between the
second gear 175 and the woolpad wheel 176 is equal to the friction
between the woolpad wheel 176 and the rocker arm 177, the second
gear 175 swings the rocker arm 177 via the woolpad wheel 176. When
the rocker arm 177 swings to the upper dead point or the lower dead
point and stops, the friction between the second gear 175 and the
woolpad wheel 176 is greater than the friction between the woolpad
wheel 176 and the rocker arm 177, and the woolpad wheel 176 driven
by the second gear 175 continues rotating with respect to the
stopped rocker arm 177, whereby the driving force is released from
the rocker arm 177 to avoid damage to the motor 150.
[0017] While the invention has been described by way of example and
in terms of preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the
invention is not limited thereto. To the contrary, it is intended
to cover various modifications and similar arrangements (as would
be apparent to those skilled in the art). Therefore, the scope of
the appended claims should be accorded the broadest interpretation
so as to encompass all such modifications and similar
arrangements.
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